Bead Con

Once again, yours truly, Roving Reporter Sue has been assigned to dog the footsteps of the dynamic and eclectic artist known as Kat. It seems that the infamous and exclusive BeadCon has rolled around once again and this time, the location is an all-inclusive day and bead spa in the city of Sioux Falls. The very same city where her cohorts, Sue and Cathie reside. Coincidence? I think not.

The initial clandestine meeting of the trio occurred in Omaha,NE. Kat met with Sue and Cathie and immediately the whirlwind of shopping, eating and giggling began. Since our Kat has many interests, the girls with an unwitting Matthew (the bead wrangler) in tow, hit (in succession), a bakery, a jewelry store, a bead store, a glass store, a second bead store. All this was interspersed with joyously random acts of hugging. With evening closing in, they headed to Sioux Falls.

Using a wide array of highly sensitive electronic equipment, we were surprised to hear Kat's dulcet tones accompanied by Matt's deeper baritone signing at the top of their lungs to the odd They Might Be Giants CD "Flood" while Cathie and Sue just shook their heads in bemusement. The evening ended rather late with all three friends exhausted but excited to be together once more.

Thursday, the ladies rose late, lunched at a trendy little out of the way grill after the lunch crowd. Thus sparing the wait staff the influx of crazed fans. Two more local bead shops were inspected and deemed 'lovely' before the ladies headed back home. Several solid hours of work on techniques and colors heretofore untested were accomplished with great success. The usual haggling and coveting of one another's bead stash also occurred during the evening while this reporter dodged the fierce guard dogs set out among the grounds, namely two miniature dachshunds named King and Amber.

The evening's meal was catered by the renowned German chef, Kent Tegels, who made an elegantly simple meal of garlic lemon chicken to the delight of the trio of beaders. After jet setting about the globe, such comfort food was an unexpected pleasure.

After a late night with some dangerous hedge hopping, your reporter was unable to get a satisfactory photograph of the artist, but has high hopes of better luck on Friday.